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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Roughly 30 percent of former NFL player may develop Alzheimer's, other brain conditions

Today's post is shared from the techtimes.com
The NFL is a big deal, making billions every year. But is it doing enough to take care of league players, former and current?
According to a report released by the National Football League Friday, three out of every 10 former NFL players are likely to develop brain conditions, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and at earlier ages compared to the general population.
Released as supporting evidence in a class-action suit against the league, the report calculated that the NFL's proposed settlement of $675 million will be sufficient to award damages to affected former players. Out of the 19,400 former league players, the NFL and opposition lawyers estimate that around 28 percent of them, about 6,000 individuals, will develop Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia as a consequence of their time playing for the NFL.
The American football league is being sued for allegedly hiding information that associated brain injuries to concussions. Presiding over the lawsuit is Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody, who has first expressed concern that $675 million will not be enough to cover all of the damages. The report was released in response to her concerns.
Aside from $675 million for compensation, the NFL also proposed spending $10 million for research purposes, $75 million to undertake baseline assessments, and $5 million to raise awareness in the public.
With the fund estimated to annually earn 4.5 percent, both sides have deemed the...